Miami’s Election Postponement Sparks Questions About Orlando’s Off-Cycle Voting

The Miami Precedent: A Battle Over Democratic Participation

Downtown Orlando Drone Skyline Aerial by Kevin Ruck

The controversy surrounding Miami’s decision to postpone its 2025 municipal elections has sent shockwaves through Florida’s political landscape. Miami city commissioners voted Thursday to cancel this year’s municipal election and postpone it until 2026, approving a controversial ordinance to move city elections to even-numbered years — a move that has drawn sharp criticism from Florida’s attorney general and community advocates who say the change unlawfully extends officials’ terms without voter input.

Latest Developments: A mayoral candidate has filed a lawsuit to prevent the postponement of Miami’s election, with the city attorney defending the move by citing a Florida statute that allows municipalities to align local elections with countywide or statewide votes. The legal challenge includes a former Florida Supreme Court justice on the legal team, signaling the gravity of the legal battle ahead.

The ordinance would amend city code “to change the date of the general election from November 4, 2025 to November 3, 2026 and to change the date of all subsequent elections; providing for the extension of existing terms of office,” with an immediate effective date.

This decision affects not only Miami but also creates a template that other Florida cities might follow. Miami-Dade County has taken similar action, with commissioners voting 8-3 to cancel countywide elections originally scheduled for November 2025. The stated goal is to align local elections with federal election cycles, potentially increasing voter participation and reducing election costs.

Orlando’s Current Electoral Landscape

Orlando, like Miami, currently operates on an off-cycle election schedule. The city of Orlando, Florida, is holding general elections for city council on November 4, 2025, with a runoff election scheduled for December 9, 2025. The filing deadline for this election is September 11, 2025. This demonstrates Orlando’s commitment to maintaining its off-cycle timing even as Miami moves to align with federal elections.

The city previously held general elections for mayor and city council on November 7, 2023, and city commissioners on November 2, 2021, following a consistent pattern of odd-year elections that has been the norm for decades.

This off-cycle scheduling means Orlando’s municipal elections occur during non-presidential and non-midterm years, when voter engagement typically reaches its lowest levels. The city’s election schedule includes both mayoral and city commission seats, with runoff elections scheduled for December when needed.

The Case for Change: Voter Participation and Democratic Engagement

Research consistently shows that voter turnout for off-cycle elections is lower than voter turnout for elections held on-cycle. This creates a democratic deficit where Orlando’s most important local decisions—those affecting daily life through city services, development, and municipal policies—are made by candidates chosen by a fraction of the electorate.

When elections are held during off-cycle years, several factors contribute to lower participation:

Reduced Media Coverage: Presidential and midterm elections generate extensive media coverage that extends to down-ballot races. Off-cycle elections receive minimal attention, leaving voters less informed about candidates and issues.

Lower Civic Engagement: The excitement and civic energy generated by federal elections naturally extends to local races when they’re held simultaneously. Off-cycle elections lack this civic momentum.

Cost Barriers: Voters face higher information costs when elections are isolated from major political events. The effort required to research local candidates and issues becomes a barrier to participation.

Demographic Skewing: Off-cycle elections tend to attract older, whiter, and more affluent voters, potentially skewing electoral outcomes away from the city’s diverse demographic composition.

Economic Considerations: The Cost of Democracy

Moving Orlando’s elections to align with federal cycles could generate significant cost savings. Currently, the city must fund separate election infrastructure, including:

• Poll worker wages and training

• Ballot printing and distribution

• Voting machine setup and maintenance

• Security and oversight personnel

• Vote counting and certification processes

By consolidating with federal elections, Orlando could share these costs with Orange County and the state, potentially saving hundreds of thousands of dollars per election cycle. These savings could be redirected to essential city services or infrastructure improvements.

However, some argue that consolidated elections might increase costs in other areas, such as longer ballots requiring more complex voting machines and potentially longer lines at polling places.

The DeSantis Administration’s Response: State vs. Local Control

Governor Ron DeSantis has made his opposition to Miami’s election postponement clear, and his administration would likely take similar action against Orlando if the city attempted to change its election timing. The move would schedule city elections to coincide with even-year midterms and presidential elections, but is opposed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and others.

However, there may be a legal pathway: Miami’s city attorney has defended the move by citing a Florida statute that allows municipalities to align local elections with countywide or statewide votes. This suggests that cities like Orlando might have existing legal authority to make such changes, though the state would likely challenge any attempt.

The DeSantis administration has several tools at its disposal to prevent or challenge such changes:

Legal Challenges: The Florida Attorney General has already threatened Miami with legal action, demonstrating the state’s willingness to use the courts to maintain current election schedules.

Legislative Intervention: The Republican-controlled Florida Legislature could pass laws specifically prohibiting municipalities from changing election timing without state approval.

Administrative Pressure: State agencies could withhold funding or support from cities that attempt to change their election schedules unilaterally.

Constitutional Arguments: The state might argue that extending current officials’ terms without voter approval violates Florida’s constitutional principles of democratic governance.

This creates a complex legal and political battle between local home rule authority and state oversight of election administration.

Orlando’s Historical Context and Opportunities

Unlike Miami, Orlando has not recently attempted to change its election timing, though the city has made other electoral reforms. The city has implemented early voting options and expanded vote-by-mail access within the constraints of state law.

Orlando’s political leadership has generally maintained the status quo regarding election timing, but the Miami precedent could inspire local advocates to push for change. The city’s growing population and increasing political engagement, particularly among younger and more diverse residents, might support such a shift.

The Democratic Imperative: A Call to Action

Orlando residents and civic leaders should seriously consider demanding that the city move its elections to align with federal cycles. This change would:

Increase Voter Participation: Studies consistently show higher turnout in on-cycle elections, giving more residents a voice in local governance.

Improve Democratic Legitimacy: Elected officials would represent a broader cross-section of the community, not just the most politically engaged residents.

Reduce Information Costs: Voters would receive better information about local candidates and issues through increased media coverage and civic engagement.

Save Public Resources: Consolidating elections would reduce costs that could be redirected to essential services.

Strengthen Local Democracy: Higher participation would create stronger mandates for elected officials and increase accountability.

The 2027 Mayoral Race: An Opportunity for Change

Orlando’s 2027 mayoral election presents a unique opportunity to advance election timing reform. The race will be held on Tuesday, November 2, 2027, with incumbent Buddy Dyer confirmed not to seek re-election after announcing in January 2025 that he will not run for a seventh term.

Two prominent candidates have already announced their intentions to run: State Rep. Anna V. Eskamani, a 34-year-old progressive Democrat who filed her candidacy in December 2024, and Orlando City Commissioner Tony Ortiz, who recently switched from Republican to Democrat and confirmed his mayoral ambitions in May 2025.

Both candidates represent potential advocates for democratic reform, given their progressive backgrounds and commitment to expanding civic participation. Eskamani’s platform focuses on homelessness and affordable housing, public transportation, and support for small businesses—issues that would benefit from higher voter turnout. Ortiz’s recent party switch suggests an openness to challenging established norms.

However, neither candidate has publicly stated their position on election timing alignment. This presents an opportunity for Orlando residents to engage both campaigns early in the process, making election timing reform a campaign issue that could generate broader public discussion.

Moving Forward: Practical Steps for Change

Orlando residents who support aligning city elections with federal cycles should:

1. Engage Mayoral Candidates: Contact both Anna Eskamani and Tony Ortiz to ask about their positions on election timing alignment. Make this a campaign issue that requires public discussion.

2. Contact City Leaders: Reach out to Mayor Buddy Dyer and city commissioners to express support for election timing reform.

3. Engage in Public Forums: Attend city council meetings and public forums to advocate for this change.

4. Build Coalitions: Work with civic organizations, labor unions, and community groups to build broad support for reform.

5. Research and Educate: Gather data on voter turnout differences and cost savings to make a compelling case for change.

6. Prepare for Opposition: Understand that the DeSantis administration will likely oppose such changes and prepare legal and political strategies to overcome this resistance.

7. Monitor the Miami Case: Follow the legal challenges to Miami’s postponement to understand potential pathways and pitfalls for Orlando.

Conclusion: Democracy Demands Maximum Participation

The controversy surrounding Miami’s election postponement highlights a fundamental question about democratic participation in Florida’s cities. While the Miami approach—extending current officials’ terms without voter approval—is problematic, the underlying goal of increasing voter participation through on-cycle elections is sound.

Orlando has an opportunity to lead by example, demonstrating how cities can enhance democratic participation while respecting legal and constitutional constraints. The city should explore legal pathways to align its elections with federal cycles, potentially through charter amendments or other mechanisms that don’t extend current officials’ terms.

The stakes are high. Local government decisions affect residents’ daily lives more directly than federal policies. Housing, transportation, public safety, and economic development—all local issues—deserve the attention and participation of the entire community, not just the most politically engaged residents.

Orlando’s leaders should embrace this opportunity to strengthen local democracy and ensure that the city’s government truly represents all residents, not just those who vote in low-turnout off-cycle elections. The path forward may be challenging, but the democratic imperative is clear: maximum participation produces the most legitimate and effective governance.

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This article was prepared for The Orlando Voice and J & Washington’s The Blog, analyzing the implications of Miami’s election postponement for Orlando’s electoral future.

David Washington is The Orlando Voice’s Political Manager/Editor and CEO of J & Washington LLC, a political consulting firm specializing in political strategy and public affairs. Join the T8020 Community and discover how tokenized civic engagement is reshaping political participation. Learn more about The Orlando Voice and the T8020 token at T8020Orlando.com.